This invention relates to lightweight vacuum cleaners and more particularly to a construction for mounting a filter bag in such cleaners.
This invention is an improvement of the vacuum cleaner illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,084, now assigned to the assignee of the present application. The mounting of the filter bag illustrated in said patent is similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,778. A disadvantage of this construction is that the filter bag is open at the nozzle end so when a dirty filter bag is replaced, it is very difficult to prevent the dirt from spilling out onto the floor. This problem is particularly emphasized by the fact that in order to remove the filter bag the upper housing is removed and the weight is therefor concentrated at the nozzle end of the lower housing. Thus, if the bag is removed by lifting it out, the dirt will fall back into the lower end, and if the housing is disposed horizontally and the bag thereafter removed, the dirt will spill onto the floor. Only by inverting the lower housing with the nozzle end up, which is particularly awkward, and then removing the filter bag, will substantial spillage of dirt be prevented. However, unless this is done very carefully, some spillage occurs.